Research is essential for improving emergency care but it is often difficult to obtain funding. Microfinance (small grants for minor projects) could be a method of initiating research in overlooked areas [1] but may be difficult to carry out [2].

We describe how a microgrant (500, -Danish Kroner (Dkr)) facilitated a research project in emergency medicine.

A grant of 500 Dkr was provided by the Danish Society for Emergency Medicine towards a research project on acute admissions.

Hospital departments in Denmark with acute admissions (internal medicine) were contacted. The doctor on call was asked to fill out a questionnaire on the internet. Costs of distribution, collection and registration of questionnaires were virtually zero.

The grant was used to buy a gift certificate that doctors completing the questionnaire could win. Monetary incentives combined with mail and telephone is known to increase response rates of questionnaires [3].